Sequel: The Twist
by scottie994
Summary: Three years after the events of 'Closer'; Family, friends, and soul reapers alike gather for Ichigo and Rukia's wedding, ultimately bringing together Karin and Toshiro for a second time; tension rises. Third Instalment 'Animate Customs' is posted! Disclaimer! I do not own Bleach.
1. Part One

Sequel to 'Closer'

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The Twist

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Part One

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"ISSHIN KUROSAKI'S WEDDING DAY KICK!"

Ichigo was soon kicked out of his slumber, off the couch, and onto the hardwood floor, face first. With a loud groan of annoyance, he bolted to his feet and landed a swift punch on his father's face, knocking the older man to the floor.

"What the hell is the matter with you!" Ichigo chided angrily, his eyes broad, "You don't do that to a guy on his fucking wedding day!"

Isshin sprang to his feet and met his son's glare with a goofy grin, "It's tradition, my son! For good luck!"

"What the fuck do you mean 'tradition'! I'm the first of your children to get married!"

"It's a very recent tradition!"

Ichigo slapped a hand to his forehead and flopped on the couch, "How'd you get in here anyway?"

"With this!" Isshin replied enthusiastically, thrusting his hand in his son's face to show him a singular key.

"I gave that to you for emergencies only, stupid goat-chin." Karin's irritated voice sounded. The two men turned around to see the next born Kurosaki child standing in the hallway, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt whilst towel drying her hair. Karin sighed,

Yes, it would seem that letting Ichigo stay overnight at her place instead of at the Kurosaki household, (Rukia insisted that he sleep elsewhere the night before the wedding.) to avoid their father's wake up calls, had proved a failure.

"Karin! Darling!" Isshin leapt the few feet towards his daughter and brought her into an embrace. Karin scowled, suppressing the urge to kick him, given that, if she did, something in her small studio apartment would surely be broken. She was soon rescued when Ichigo pulled their father off on his way to the bathroom. "You two best get ready. The ceremony is in two hours."

"WHAT!" Ichigo emerged from the bathroom instantly, his eyes wide in alarm, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SOONER!"

Karin and Isshin watched in awe as Ichigo buzzed frantically around the small space, collecting his belongings. He quickly slid his shoes on and looked at them, "Come on! Let's go!"

…

"But I don't wanna wear the veil!" Rukia protested with a pout, "It makes my face itchy!"

"It completes the look, Rukia!" Renji, the _Man_ of Honor, retorted.

"I don't care!" She crossed her arms over her chest and glared up at him, "If you're so entranced over it, then keep it for yourself and wear it at your own damn wedding! You'll clearly be the woman of the relationship anyway!"

On the other side of the room, Yuzu, Karin, and Orihime, the bridesmaids, could only chuckle at the argument. Karin sat facing the mirror with one leg crossed over the other, while her sister weaved her long black hair into one neat braid. Yuzu began binding the end of the braid with an elastic, "So.. are you sure Lee isn't coming?"

"Yep." Karin replied indifferently, "He made it pretty clear last week when he broke up with me."

Yuzu frowned and sat down on the chair beside her, having finished styling her twins hair, "Well, he's an idiot. Any guy would be lucky to have you."

Karin smirked and applied mascara to her eyelashes, "Yeah, tell that to the last four guys I've been with; who ran away, I might add."

"Four? But.. I thought you've only been with three guys..."

"Er.. right. That's what I said, _three_." Karin corrected quickly while taking locks of hair out of the braid to frame her face, then turned to her sister with a smile, "Anyways, this day is about Ichigo and Rukia, not my shitty love life."

Yuzu sighed, "I just feel bad that you don't have a date, I don't want you to feel lonely.."

Karin chuckled lightly and stood up, smoothing out her dress, "I prefer it this way, really. Stop worrying so much Yuzu."

"Awe! You all look so pretty!" Rukia exclaimed. She looked her bridesmaids over, all of them clad in deep violet knee length dresses, which flared out at the hip, that Uryu designed. Orihime had her hair in a loose updo, Yuzu had her short blonde hair in two low pigtails, and Karin had her long dark hair in a one-sided braid. Uryu had given all three dresses a different top variation, Orihime's had spaghetti straps, Yuzu's was strapless, and Karin's had two inch wide straps that tied behind her neck, giving it a halter-top style.

Renji sighed, "If you're done gawking at them, you should get into your own dress."

"Oh! Right-

"The minister flaked."

Rukia's eyes broadened to epic proportions as she turned to Yoruichi, who just entered the room, clad in a long; silky red dress, "What...?"

"Don't worry though, my dear Rukia!" Urahara's sing song voice sounded, "I'm ready to fill in!"

Everyone turned their attention to him, and instantly displayed looks of surprise. The usual attire of Mr. Hat n' Clogs had been replaced by a dashing black suit, and he had even left his hat elsewhere. Yoruichi chuckled at their expressions, "Cleans up good, doesn't he."

"I dunno Urahara, are you sure you're qualified to administer a wedding?" Renji asked.

"According to ThirtySecondMinister .com, I am." Urahara replied, his ever present fan hiding his face.

Rukia placed a hand to her forehead and sighed, mulling over this new information. Throwing her hands up in the air, "Fine!" She shot Urahara a stern glare, "But if you try anything funny, I'll kill you."

After doing a breathing exercise with Renji in order to calm down, Rukia went into the secluded dressing area and had Orihime accompany her to help with the dress. She emerged minutes later, and stood awkwardly as the room's occupants gave her a proper observation, smiles spreading on all faces. She had gone for a simple, but elegant look. The white dress was floor length, with a pleated skirt. It had a corset top that left her shoulders bare, and a two-inch wide white sash sat under the bust, tied in a bow at the back.

Her wavy black hair reached just below her collarbone, a few tresses brought back from the front to pin in the back, and her trademark lock hanging down in front of her face. She had little makeup on, simple hint of eyeliner and a coat of mascara on her curled lashes. "So.." Rukia broke the silence, "how do I look?"

There was an eruption of praise, all around saying, "Beautiful.", "Stunning.", "Incredible.", etcetera. Rukia beamed, then turned to her Man of Honor, who had yet to say anything.

Renji grinned and approached her, giving her what felt like a farewell hug, "You look beautiful."

"Thanks Renji." He stood up straight once more and she adjusted his violet coloured tie, "How much longer do we have?"

"About thirty minutes."

"Alright, that gives me enough time to go over my vows.."

Renji's brow furrowed, "I thought you and Ichigo agreed there wouldn't be vows?" She cast him an inquisitive look, and he elaborated, "Remember? Like, two weeks ago, we were all there."

Rukia laughed, "That was just a momentary thought, a joke actually, we shall be exchanging vows."

Meanwhile, Karin, grateful that their dresses had pockets hidden in the creases of their skirts, slipped her phone into one and her cigarettes and lighter in the other, then ventured out of the room. Emerging from the small building, Karin leaned against the railing of the porch and lit up a cigarette. The sun was beaming brightly overhead, the weather was, not sweat inducing, nor shiver inducing, but somewhere in the middle, and left one feeling content.

She observed the nearby gardens, where the preparations for the ceremony had been completed, and now awaited the guests, bride, and groom. Karin grinned at the thought of her brother and Rukia getting married.

Two minutes later, she put out her cigarette and scanned the area one last time as she turned to the door. Her heart skipped, evoking a double take, and there he was; Shaggy white hair contrasting with a black ensemble of a button up dress shirt and fitted slacks. Even from several feet away, she could clearly see those brilliant teal eyes of his, staring right back at her.


	2. Part Two

**Author's Note: Thanks so much for the reviews on the first chapter. I really hadn't planned on posting it so soon, but I'm a very impatient person, and considering I wanted to write this story before I wrote the prequel, I couldn't help but post it right away. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter, and please review!**

Part Two

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He blinked. In that momentary flash, time resumed, and she was gone. He remained stilled on the spot, hands in his pockets, staring at the now vacant porch. He had seen her, hadn't he? Of course. That was definitely her. Three years may have gone by, but that beautiful face of hers was committed to his memory, and had not let him forget, even if he wanted to. And she had seen him, hadn't she? Yes, she looked straight at him. He shouldn't be surprised by her reaction, or rather, her lack of one. What had he expected, her to run into his arms? Well, yes, he had to admit that a small, and very stupid, part of him had thought that.

"Taicho?" He snapped out of his trance and turned his attention to Rangiku, who was clad in a mid-thigh length pink dress. She smiled, "I got something for you!"

He cocked a brow, and she lifted her hand. "Is that supposed to be a necklace?" She nodded, and he scrutinized the accessory that was dangling from her index finger. A black, half-a-centimeter thick, threaded necklace, that if it were to be unhooked, would expand to almost twelve inches in length. There was a nearly unnoticeable black wooden pendant attached, with an indistinct engraving, which he would examine later. "And why did you get this for me?"

"Because," She began, unhooking the necklace, "it adds to your punk-rocky-irresistibly-sexy demeanor," She looped it around his neck once so it crossed in the back, then brought the one end to latch into its place in the pendant and let it hang just below his collarbone, "which will help you get Karin back."

His brow furrowed, "What?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Taicho." She undid the third-top button of his shirt so it exposed the beginnings of his chest, "I've known all along what happened between you two."

"...how?"

"Woman's intuition." She explained with a sly smile while rolling his left sleeve up to his elbow, then his right, "And as much as I wanted to go out of my jurisdiction and beat you to a bloody pulp for what you did, or send Ichigo after you, I refrained. Instead, I waited patiently for the opportunity to arise, then I would help you."

He stared in awe at his lieutenant, and could only give her an appreciative smile. Which was soon replaced with a scowl as she ruffled his hair with her hands. "There, you're all set."

"And now I'm, as you deem, 'irresistibly sexy'?"

She cocked her head to the side and examined him, then giggled, "I just find you so utterly adorable!" She exclaimed and brought him into a momentary, suffocating embrace. His scowl deepened.

"But," She straightened his collar, "if I were to step into a twenty-one year old girl's shoes and look at you, then yes, I'd say so." She turned on her heel, "Now, all you have to do is think up a really good, very sweet and romantic apology."

He sighed, retracting one hand from his pockets to run through his hair and followed Rangiku to the ceremonial gardens, the gears of his mind turning.

…

Ichigo stood at the altar with his hands clasped in front of him, his gaze fixated on the entrance of the garden, where his bride would soon enter. To his left was Chad, his best man, followed by Uryu, Keigo, and Mizuiro. To his right, on the other side of the altar, was Renji, Orihime, Karin, and Yuzu. They all wore anticipatory smiles, along with most of the guests who occupied the chairs before them.

The music began to play, and in seconds, Rukia appeared, arm in arm with Byakuya. Ichigo's heart sped up at the sight of her, and he tightened his clasped hands eagerly. Everyone's eyes were set on the bride. Well, all eyes except for Toshiro's, of whom had his glued to Karin for an indefinite amount of time, and took no notice to the happenings around him as he sat in the aisle seat of the third row. Whereas Karin, from her place at the altar, strained to keep her eyes from meeting his, and she found this to be an irksome task.

"Now remember, Brother," Rukia whispered, "when we get to the altar, you have to give me away to Ichigo."

"I'm painfully aware of that fact." Byakuya replied in a sharp, hushed tone. Rukia chuckled lightly, her heart pounding furiously with each step they took. In moments, they stood at the altar, and before he let Rukia go, he shot Ichigo a firm glare, "Hurt her, and the last word you'll ever hear will be 'Scatter'." With that, his hand left hers and he stepped down, taking his seat in the front row.

Ichigo stared in awe at the man for a mere moment, then settled his gaze once more on Rukia, and his grin re-appeared, matching her own.

Urahara appeared a second later, a broad, and slightly smug, grin plastered on his face, "Yes yes, I'm here, I know, very exciting." They rolled their eyes at him. He chuckled, "Well, let's get this thing started.."

…

"I believe this is the time for you to exchange vows." Urahara announced once they had exchanged wedding bands.

"Okay", "Actually-"

Rukia and Ichigo's brows furrowed and they stared at each other, "What?"

"Were exchanging vows, Ichigo."

"But.. you said.. we weren't gonna do that."

Her eyes widened, "That was a joke!" She hissed in a low tone, "Did you not write vows!"

"Well-

"You Baka! How could you be so dense as to not write vows-"

"Shut up, you beautiful midget." A pink tint spread across her cheeks, and she obliged. He smirked, "Ever since you barged into my life, literally through the walls of my bedroom, you've changed my world. At first, I found you to be an annoying little person.. and I still do, from time to time..." She scowled slightly, and he continued, "But you keep me in line, you keep my spirits raised, and you're always there when I need you. I owe you my life.

'Even if, since I met you, I've died about five times," There was a low, collective chuckle from the guests, "I always came back.. for you. No matter how many times I may die from here on out, I will always find my way back to you. I love you, Rukia Kuchiki. I always have, and I always will."

Rukia's eyes glistened with flattered tears, "Ichigo..." Her grin broadened, as well as her blush, "That's..." She took a small step forward, "the sweetest thing I've ever heard you say.."

Urahara's arm shot up between them, keeping Rukia from jumping her soon to be husband, "Uh-uh, not yet.." She pouted, and Urahara chuckled, "Go ahead with your vows now, Rukia."

"Er.." She blanked, "I.. forget them." She met Ichigo's gaze, and her face lit up once more, "I love you, Ichigo.. what else is there to say.."

"Just say 'I do.'"

"We're not at that part yet." Urahara intervened.

Rukia ignored him, her smile unwavering, "I do."

Ichigo grinned, and in one swift movement, captured her lips, wrapping his arms around her. Thirty seconds later, Urahara cleared his throat, prompting them to break apart and chuckle, their faces flushed.

"Well, that escalated quickly," He remarked with a chuckle, "without further delay, I now present you with Mr. and Mrs. Kurosaki."

There were cheers, winks, and hoots as Rukia and Ichigo walked arm in arm back down the aisle, followed by Renji and Chad, who shoved their hands in their pockets, Orihime and Uryu, Karin and Keigo, and Yuzu and Mizuiro.

Toshiro waited nearly a minute before bolting from his chair. Meanwhile, Urahara stepped down from the altar with his arms raised, "Thank you all for attending this lovely and unorthodox ceremony. The reception will take place in two hours at the concert hall down the block, you all know where it is. So for now, feel free to stay and chat, or indulge in slutty wedding sex."

..

Karin nearly ran into him as he appeared before her, blocking her path, "Karin."

Putting on her best fake smile, she met his eyes, "Toshiro."

"I... uh," His brow furrowed as his mind drew a blank. The words of repent he had spent nearly an entire hour putting together were suddenly lost.

She raised her eyebrows in expectation, and he remained speechless. The faintest scoff escaped her, "You really have a way with words."

Karin ignored her twin's inquisitive expression and linked their arms, leading her down the sidewalk, following the rest of the wedding party. "What was that about?"

"Nothing." Karin replied in an unconvincing tone, keeping her gaze fixed on the path ahead.

Yuzu stole a glance back at Toshiro, who was stilled on the spot, staring wistfully after her dark-haired twin. Which raised the question; 'Did more than just a kiss happen?'

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	3. Part Three

Part Three

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A slap in the face, an earful of curse words, the deadliest glare imaginable; any of those would have been better than _that_. The subtlety of her words, spoken in that sugar coated voice, accompanied by that fake smile, that hadn't even begun to meet those eyes, full of guarded disposition. All those factors of that short lived moment pierced like daggers through his heart, and now all he could do was stand there like an idiot, staring after her retreating figure.

A gentle hand gripped his shoulder, but he remained perplexed. Matsumoto's comforting voice was distant to his ears, "Just be patient, Taicho."

…Two Hours Later...

The concert hall was packed. Every one of the round tables was occupied by the eccentric mixture of soul reapers and humans. Low dining music played from an unknown place, accompanying the sound of cutlery being used. They had been served a steak dinner, courtesy of Byakuya. Karin sat at the center-of-attention table with Byakuya, Rukia, Ichigo, her father, Yuzu and Jinta. It was just her luck that Toshiro's table, which consisted of him, Rangiku, Hisagi, Momo, Renji and Izuru, was adjacent to her's.

Karin went about eating and joined in the active conversation of her table, whilst refraining, with much difficulty, from meeting _his_ gaze. She could hear him cast about few remarks to his own table's conversation, in that deep; alluring voice of his, and could feel his piercing eyes bore into her back in long; consistent intervals. Even in the air conditioned building, his stare could send rapid heat waves through her, and she felt her face gradually flush.

Minutes later, there was a clinking sound of a spoon against glass, and Urahara's voice sounded from the front of the room, "I'd like to start off the toasts...'

…

Chad's toast had consisted of a simple one liner. Renji's had been a heart filled diction of how much he loved his best friend Rukia, in a totally platonic way. Then Keigo and Mizuiro gave a joint speech, praising Ichigo for landing a 'hot babe' like Rukia, as well as going over aspects of the 'bro code' that still applied, even though he was married. Next had been Isshin, who had started off with the cliche of telling an embarrassing story from Ichigo's childhood, and then, of course, ended with,

".. And I expect grandchildren soon!" There was a collective chuckle from around the room, and a prominent, exasperated sigh from Ichigo. "Now, I give the mic to one of my lovely daughters."

Yuzu and Karin's eyes met. Yuzu, who had her mouth full of food, gave her twin a pleading look, which Karin immediately sighed and yielded to, bringing forth her speech from her memory. With a glass of champagne in hand, she stood and made her way to the designated 'toast' area, taking the mic in her free hand.

"Uh.. hi.." The sound of imaginary crickets wafted through the room. Her eyes met Toshiro's for a heart stopping moment, and she cleared her throat, "True love, is the soul's recognition of its counterpart in another." She averted her gaze from his, "And I think that's a very rare thing.. and it's something to be valued. And I'm just really happy that my big brother's found it." She smiled and raised her glass, "To Ichigo and Rukia, I love you both, and congratulations."

There was a round of praise and claps. Toshiro raised his glass along with everyone else, his eyes locking with hers momentarily before she was brought into a bone breaking embrace by Rukia, and he let a faint smile of hope spread on his face.

…One Hour Later, after Rukia and Ichigo's first dance...

Karin placed her hands on the counter and addressed the bartender, "Rum and Coke, please."

"Make that two." Her heart skipped on reflex at the unmistakable voice. Toshiro leaned against the counter beside her, "Kurosaki."

"Hitsugaya."

He took his glass from the bartender, his distaste at how she said his name evident in his eyes, "That was some speech."

"Called it as I saw it." She replied simply, taking a swig of her drink.

"And I seem to remember you looking at me as you said it."

She scoffed, "Don't flatter yourself." After taking another sip of her drink, her expression changed to mock surprise, "Oh! I almost forgot who I was talking to; the King of Conceited."

"You didn't seem to mind that aspect of me." He retorted coolly. The unsaid ending, 'In bed.' didn't go unheard by Karin, and her eyes hardened. "So, where's your date?"

"I don't have one."

"Oh?" He raised a brow, "No boyfriend in the picture?"

"Not since recently. He said I was too temperamental."

"So he was repelled by the very thing that drew me to you," He smirked and swirled his glass, "that's almost comical."

"Or twisted." She muttered.

He set his glass on the counter and held out his hand, "Dance with me?"

Karin instinctively bit her bottom lip and stared at him as she thought. Well, if he was going to act like everything was okay, then so would she, and they would be free of the drama. With that resolve, she downed the remainder of her drink and took his hand, letting him lead her to the dance floor.

With his left hand entwined with her right, he placed his other on the small of her back and pulled her against him, leaving only an inch of space between them. She felt her face heat up at the sudden proximity, and even more so at how she was level with his eyes, thanks to her two-inch high heels. Clearing her throat, she tore her gaze from his and rested her head on his shoulder.

As she basked in his presence, she let her lips curve into a genuine smile. She could stay like this forever, and prayed that he wouldn't speak, and just let the moment be.

A minute later, he remarked softly, "You look beautiful."

Crack. "Thanks." She felt a lump begin to form in her throat, "You don't look too bad yourself."

His smile wavered at the faint shakiness in her tone. "I'm sorry." Crack. She remained silent, and he continued, "But.. I had to leave."

Crack. With that, her resolve shattered. Without a glance at him, she pulled away and quickly weaved through the crowd of dancing couple's, bolting to the door. Toshiro ignored the questioning looks he received and counted to thirty in his head, then followed suit. His patience had worn thin.

.

**Author's Note: Thanks for all the reviews so far, you guys are awesome. And yes, I took her speech from Wedding Crashers, I thought it fit too well. Anyways, can't wait to hear your thoughts on this part and the next will be up shortly (Reviews will make it come faster.. just saying.)**


	4. Part Four

Part Four

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Toshiro pushed through the double doors of the main room and immediately caught sight of her, half way down the hallway, proceeding towards the exit. He bounded towards her at an inhumanely quick pace, "Karin, wait."

Her shoulders visibly tensed and she shot him a scowl, "You're an asshole."

"Hey, I said I was sorry."

She scoffed and whipped around to face him, "Did you develop a brain deficiency? Or are you really so dense to think that a simple 'I'm sorry' will fix anything?"

His eyes hardened, "What the hell do you want me to say?"

"Oh, I dunno Toshiro, something that isn't lined with bullshit?"

He grabbed her hand as she attempted to walk away, evoking a death glare, "Will you stop running away from me-

"Why?" She snapped, retracting her hand from his grasp, "You ran away from me to another fucking dimension!"

"I had to leave-

"Yes, you've made that abundantly clear," She interrupted sharply, "and contrary to what you may believe, I wasn't naive enough to think you were going to stay-

"Do you think I wanted to leave?" Her expression displayed that of incredulity as she stared at him, eyebrows raised yet again with expectation. He sighed, attempting to keep the frustration only she could cause him to feel under wraps, "That's the last thing I wanted to do, but I had to, because I have a job, and that job has rules; rules that I broke from the moment I kissed you-

"You could've said goodbye." She interjected, her voice cracking as she felt an all too familiar ache in her chest. "Would it really have been that difficult to wake me up before you left? Or leave a note? I mean, you could've at least taken me out for breakfast, 'cause having sex twice in one night takes a lot out of a person, and I was fucking starving.

'But no, you just left, without a word, as if you hadn't even been there." A tear ran down her cheek, "Then you show up here three years later and.. and _torture_ me with your relentless stares and your ridiculous fucking hotness, say a few sweet things, and what? You expect everything to be okay?"

"Of course not-

"I don't even know why I care." She continued, ignoring his attempt to respond as she paced the width of the hallway, "I mean, we knew each other for less than a day.. but we had fun.. and you were really charming, even though you drove me fucking crazy,"

Toshiro watched silently and intently as she muttered to herself, his heart gradually sinking with every tear that ran down her cheeks, "then I just gave it up to you, just like that.. like a.. like a fucking idiot!" In a split second, her fist met the nearest surface; the wall. "Dammit!" She retracted it immediately and held it in her other hand as it throbbed in pain.

Toshiro closed the gap between them instantly and wrapped one arm around her small frame whilst placing a hand on the back of her neck, ignoring her momentary resistance. Karin buried her face in the crook of his neck as soundless sobs escaped her. They stayed like that for an indefinite amount of time, until he broke the silence, speaking in a soft and even tone,

"I didn't wake you, because I didn't think I could handle looking into your eyes and saying goodbye." Her crying ceased as she lifted her head to meet his eyes, which were full of endearment, "I know I acted like a coward, and I've regretted it everyday since."

He brought his hand around to cup her cheek, his knuckles curling under her jaw as his thumb grazed over the tear stained skin, "I know its probably too late, but I had to at least try." A pink tint rose to her cheeks and she unconsciously wet her lips,

"And I don't care that we only spent one day together, and I don't care that the laws of soul society go against us, because I've missed you, and I want you." Her heart skipped audibly, "So please, just.. forgive me?"

Unable to resist long enough to hear her response, he pressed his lips to hers and tightened his arm around her waist. She gave into the kiss at once, her uninjured hand grasping the front of his shirt, and she felt the ache in her chest slowly subside as her lips moved against his. There was a faint voice in the back of her mind, chiding her for giving in, which she successfully ignored, because she knew in her heart; she could only resist a guy like Toshiro Hitsugaya for so long.

A long moment passed before their lips broke apart, and as she opened her eyes to meet his once more, three little words connected in her mind. She opposed those words, however, when she spoke softly, "I hate you."

He smirked, "I love you too."

A small grin accompanied brightened eyes, and she brought her hand up to wipe away the smudged mascara she knew was lingering under her eyes. He took her other hand in his, "Come on, lets go put this on ice."

…

Laughter and music filled the room. With a smile on her face, Karin watched the dancing guests as she sat at a deserted table. Renji and Hisagi were dancing drunkenly with Rangiku. Yuzu was dancing with Jinta, and Karin could tell that her sister was either on a sugar rush, or drunk, by the way she was dancing. And amongst all the rest, Rukia and Ichigo were in the middle, obviously off in their own lovey dovey world.

She turned her attention to Toshiro as he returned with a tall glass of ice and took the seat next to her. Taking a cloth napkin from the table, he dumped the ice in the center and tied the ends into a double knot. "Here."

She placed it on her bruised knuckles, "Thanks."

"I'm surprised you didn't direct that hit at me."

"I wanted to, trust me." She leaned back in her chair, "But it would've went against my anger management program."

"You're in anger management?" She nodded. "Why?"

"Court order."

He chuckled, "So, you've taken that temper of yours public.."

"Hey, that bastard deserved it." She retorted firmly.

He smirked, "I'm sure he did." He followed her gaze, which was fixed on the dancing people, then glanced back at her, "Did you want to dance..?"

She shook her head, "Nah.. I'm not really a fan of dancing." Standing up, she turned swiftly around and plopped gracefully onto his lap. Kicking off her shoes, she brought her knees up and rested her head on his shoulder, "I prefer this."

He wrapped an arm around her back, "Thats fine with me.."

From afar, this interaction was witnessed by Rukia. She smirked, "I guess we were wrong," Ichigo followed her gaze, "they _would_ like each other like that after all."

"Yeah, seems that way.."

She glanced up at him with raised brows, "What, you aren't gonna go all 'protective brother' on them?"

He chuckled lightly, "Not this time.. I'd prefer her to be with Toshiro instead of the usual douchebags she gets with."

"Awe.. aren't you sweet." She remarked teasingly. He rolled his eyes. Rukia's gaze then landed on Renji, Hisagi and Rangiku, "Hmmm... I'm starting to think my assumptions about Renji being gay were wrong too.."

"How come?"

She nodded to the side, prompting him to look at the nearby, drunken trio, "I think he may be in some weird tripod relationship.."

Ichigo chuckled, "Its possible.. or maybe he's just in it for Hisagi-" They grimaced simultaneously, "On second thought.. lets just not think about that."

Rukia nodded, "Agreed."

At that moment, Yuzu was dragging Jinta off the dance floor, proceeding towards where her twin resided, "Karin!" She greeted enthusiastically, taking the seat next to them, "Where were you! I thought you-" Yuzu only now took notice to who her sister was sitting on, and her grin broadened, "Hey Toshiro."

He inclined his head, "Yuzu."

"Yuzu, how much have you had to drink?" Karin asked, lifting her head.

"Not.. that much.." She replied with a laugh. Karin rolled her eyes, and Yuzu pouted, "Don't arbi.. arbitrate me Karin, I don't have the history with alcohol that you do.. and I'm allowed to indulge in what normal twenty one year olds do." With that slurred, and nearly incoherent speech, Yuzu rested her head on the table.

Karin shook her head at her sister, "You could have at least paced yourself." She chided quietly and rested her head once again on Toshiro's shoulder.

A moment later, "You guys are so cute!"

A blush appeared on both faces and they looked at Yuzu, who was sitting up with her hands clasped, "See Karin! What did I tell you earlier?" Karin let out an exasperated sigh and burrowed further into Toshiro's neck. "I said any guy would be lucky to have you, and what happens hours later!?" An uncommitted grunt sounded from the dark haired twin, "A hot guy realizes just that!"

Toshiro smirked, "I have to agree with Yuzu, I'm a lucky guy."

Karin scoffed, "Shut up, you're being too cheesy for my liking."

"Ah, you didn't let me finish," He countered, "I also agree that I am, indeed, a hot guy."

She chuckled, shaking her head slightly, "Just when I think your ego can't get any bigger..."

….An Hour or So Later.. Location- Outdoors...

"You're happy, yes?"

"Yes, Brother, I'm happy." Rukia replied. Standing on her toes, she hugged him, "I love you, Byakuya."

"And I you, Rukia." He replied, returning the hug, rather stiffly, but genuinely. She pulled back and beamed, "Keep that idiot in line."

"I will." She chuckled and took a backwards step, "I'll see you in a week."

He nodded and watched her walk away, the smallest of smiles spreading on his face.

Meanwhile, Ichigo approached Toshiro, who was leaning against a railing, gazing relentlessly at Karin, who was in a conversation with Yuzu and Orihime. "Take care of her." The white haired captain's attention snapped to Ichigo, who now stood beside him. The slightly taller man sent him a stern look, "But, if you hurt her, I'll bankai your ass so fast you won't even have time to draw your sword."

With that, Ichigo continued on, proceeding towards his sister's. "Alright guys.. I gotta go." He announced, bringing the twins in for a hug.

"Bye Ichi," They replied in unison and returned the hug, "Have fun on your trip."

..

"Drive safe." Karin called as she waved to her sister, who was getting a piggyback ride to Jinta's car. She then turned around and proceeded towards Toshiro. "So.. I think I'm gonna head home.." She announced, then took his hand in hers, "Walk me?"

"I'd love to."

.

**Please Review! **


	5. Part Five

**Author's Note: I revised this chapter about five times, so I really hope the end result is good, and also, the sentence in italics at the end of this chapter is a line from the song 'The Twist' by Metric, and it's what gave me the title for this story... Anyways, enjoy and please Review!**

Part Five

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They walked silently through the bright and busy streets of downtown Karakura. Toshiro felt an unworldly joy vibrate through him as he strolled along beside her, one hand in his pocket, the other casually entwined with hers, and he found himself, finally, at peace.

Karin stole periodic glances at him as she took drags from her cigarette, and he would meet her eyes every time, evoking a wonderfully cliched flutter in her heart. The reprimanding voice in her head had long since disappeared, and a content smile resided on her lips as her entire being finally came to an agreement; she had fallen in love with the right person.

"Smoking's a nasty habit." He eventually remarked.

She rolled her eyes and exhaled, "So I've been told."

Her eyes widened a fraction with surprise as he seized it from her grasp and took a quick drag. He instantly grimaced and exhaled, putting the cigarette out on the cement wall they were currently passing, "I don't see the appeal."

"The appeal.." She chuckled lightly and shrugged, "It helped calm my nerves while dating jackass' one, two and three."

"I see.." He pocketed his hand once more and settled his gaze on her, "So, aside from dating idiots, what have you been doing these past few years?"

"I'm studying to be a nurse."

"A nurse?" She nodded. "Huh.. I figured you'd be _putting_ people in the hospital, not treating them."

She scowled, "Shut up, I'm not that violent."

"Uh huh.." He glanced down at the hand he was holding and smirked, "How's your hand?"

Her scowl deepened at his contradiction, "Better..."

He brought her hand up and kissed the scuffed skin, prompting a genuine smile to appear once more. She then went on to say, "I also work as a waitress."

"How's that going?"

"Pays the bills." She replied with a shrug, "Speaking of;" She shot him a sly smile, "you still owe me thirty-two dollars."

"I do, don't I." He cocked a suggestive brow and mimicked her smile, "How about I buy you breakfast?"

Her eyes brightened, "..I'd like that."

Several steps later, Karin lead him to the glass double-doors of a five story apartment building. As they made their way across the lobby to the elevators, she waved to the old man sitting behind the desk on the left side, "Hey Jiro."

He nodded with a sleepy smile, "Evening Ms. Kurosaki. How was the wedding?"

"It was wonderful." She replied as her and Toshiro entered the elevator. She pressed the third floor button and once the doors closed, she sighed, "Honestly, they have to stop putting him on night shifts, or he's gonna have a stroke."

"The maintenance guy?" She nodded. "Well, aren't you caring."

"He's a good guy. Plus, he always has a baseball bat on hand, and if he were to die, there would be no one around to take care of all the," She paused," ... disturbances."

"Disturbances?"

"Mhm.." The elevator dinged and the doors slid open once more, "the people in this building are fucked in the head, always causing trouble."

They ventured down the hallway to her door. Stealing a glance in both directions, she stretched her arm up and grabbed a key from the top of the door frame. Toshiro sighed, "That's not a very safe place to keep your key, someone could break in."

"I'm a twenty-one-year-old college student," She replied matter-of-factly as she unlocked the door, "if someone were to break in, they wouldn't find anything of value." She ushered him inside, closing and locking the door behind her.

He turned to her as she flicked the light on, "You're of value."

She smirked, "And I keep the door locked and deadbolted at all times when I'm home." She pecked him on the cheek, "Stop worrying so much."

"I can't help it, considering how recklessly you seem to live your life."

She sent him a scowl and took her shoes off. When her sore bare feet met the cool hardwood floor, she let out an immediate sigh of relief, "Finally," She threw the dreaded footwear aside, "I'm never wearing heels _again_."

She began unraveling her hair while Toshiro ventured further into the apartment and took in his surroundings. The kitchen and living room were divided by a counter with three stools attached. There was a small hallway with a door on either side, being what he assumed to be the bathroom and bedroom. The walls were an off-white colour, it was plainly decorated, the space was scarcely furnished; just a sofa, coffee table, television and a couple shelves. He could tell by a moment's observation, that she didn't spend much time here.

"Well, I think its time to get out of this dress." She announced as she passed him and proceeded towards the bedroom. "Help yourself to anything in the fridge if you're thirsty." She paused at the door and cast him a glance, "Actually, can you get me something to drink too? I hate the taste of nicotine in my mouth.."

"Sure." He turned to the kitchen, having wanted to get that particular taste out of of his mouth as well, "Not smoking is a very successful way to never have that taste in your mouth again."

"Yeah yeah.." She turned the lamp on in the corner of the bedroom and went to her closet, "I get it, smoking's bad."

Upon opening the fridge, he instantly sighed, "Do you have anything besides beer and ketchup?"

"I think there's some milk." She called back as she slipped out of her dress and put on a black tank top.

A minute later, Toshiro entered the bedroom with two bottles of beer in his hands, and immediately felt as if he was in another place altogether. Her bedroom contrasted vastly with the rest of her apartment, given the mass of colourful blankets and pillows on the queen sized bed, along with the reddish-orange painted walls. It evoked an instant 'cozy' feeling. His gaze then landed on Karin, who was attempting, with much difficulty, to open her window, and he proceeded towards her. He admired her rear-end, which was perfectly concealed in black lace, on his way there.

"Your milk expired." He stated as he reached over her and opened the window with ease, "I suppose I'll have to break my cardinal 'no drinking' rule."

"You drank at the reception." She recounted as she weaved around him and sat down on the bed, folding one leg underneath her.

"You aren't very observant." He remarked as he twisted the caps off both bottles and handed one to her, "I didn't take a single sip of that drink.. I just wanted a reason to stand at the bar and talk to you."

"Tsk tsk." She shook her head with mock disapproval, "You wasted a perfectly good drink."

"And the world will continue to turn." He countered indifferently as he sat down and clinked the rim of his bottle to hers before bringing it to his lips. She stared in awe as he took a single gulp; she felt as if she was watching a sexy beer commercial. Disgust was evident in his eyes and he wiped his mouth with the top of his hand, "I think I prefer the taste of nicotine."

She chuckled, taking the bottle from his grasp and set it on the bedside table with hers, "I'll remember to stock up on juice for the next time you visit."

"That would be appreciated." He replied in all seriousness and leaned back on his hands, giving the room another once over. "I like it in here." He declared a moment later, "It's very.." He met her eyes, "you." She smiled. "I mean, it's _tiny._" She abruptly scowled. "But it's comfortable."

"Well," Her expression softened once more and she slid closer to him, "I hope my, as you deem, _tiny_ room, sees lots more of you in the future."

He smirked and leaned in, "I can assure you, it will."

She grinned and pressed her lips to his. Her kisses were initially playful, but as the seconds wore on, and the flutter in her chest increased, they became more eager. Her arm shot up to wrap around his neck and she mounted his lap, deepening the kiss while fisting locks of his snowy hair in her fingers. He smoothed his palms up her thighs and seized her hips, pulling her further against him, his lips responding to hers with immense avidity. His hands continued upwards and slid underneath the fabric of her shirt, his fingertips digging lustfully into the skin of her back.

She sucked and tugged at his bottom lip with her teeth whilst quickly unfastening his shirt. On the last button, she drew back, and with bright eyes, admired his exposed torso, letting her hands trace greedily over every perfectly chiselled angle. He retracted his hands from her to discard his shirt, and she did the same. She cast him a lewd, inviting look as shifted off his lap and reclined back on the mattress. He propped himself up on his knees and grasped her rear with his hands. He lead a trail of kisses and impassioned bites along the soft skin of her stomach while his hand slid up her thigh to her calf, serving to further encase himself between her legs.

She moaned with pleasure and arched her back as his mouth took extended detours to each of her breasts, giving the tender nipples a thorough exploration. She dug her nails into the taut muscles of his back as his lips settled at the crook of her neck and began nipping fervently at the flesh. She angled her pelvis against his groin and sent a stimulating shock through him, as well as drawing the attention of his free hand. He slid his fingers under the sheer fabric and stroked her warmth, evoking an immediate gasp. With that, he rose to his knees and nearly tore the lacy garment as he removed it.

She waited until he lowered himself once more before pushing him onto his back and climbing on top, straddling his hips with her legs. Her lips smacked excitedly with his as she trailed her hand down his torso and began to unbuckle his pants. A moment later, "Hmm!" She drew back, "One sec.."

He stared at her with broad and impatient eyes as she began rummaging through the top drawer of her nightstand. "What are you doing?"

"Looking for a condom, obviously.. I know I have one somewhere.." She heard him grunt and shot him a glance, "Someone's impatient."

"Sorry.. it's just, it's been a _long_ three years."

"You mean...?" He nodded, and she grinned, unable to help that twinge of relief she felt at his admittance. She resumed her previous position, protection in hand, "Well, let's do something about that, shall we?"

…

A raspy, drawn out curse escaped her as she rode the climax to the very last gasp of ecstasy. Her grip on the bed frame, as well as her nail deep grasp on his left pectoral, collectively loosened and she collapsed on top of him. Their accelerated heart beats combined with unsteady breathing made for an almost deafening sound. Karin shifted off to the side and ran a lazy hand through her perspiry hair. A dry chuckle escaped her as she caught the dazed look on Toshiro's face, "Are you okay?"

"Oh yeah.. I'm fine.." He replied huskily and met her eyes, ".. _god_ I missed you." He exclaimed breathily and captured her lips for several intimate seconds.

"I missed you more." She countered with a grin, and his own broadened, if possible. For once, he would suppress the urge to argue with her. She rolled onto her back with an appeased sigh, "I haven't had sex that good in," She cast him a glance, "...three years."

"Glad I could be of service." He responded smugly. They laid there in silence for several minutes and basked in the cool air coming in through the window. Once he had regained his composure, he sat up and grabbed his boxers off the floor, "I'll be right back."

"You better be."

She watched as he crossed the hall to the bathroom, and once he was out of earshot, she let out a giddy squeal of delight. Rolling onto her side, she pulled a thin blanket over her and hugged a fistful of the cloth to her chest. A moment later, he returned and climbed back onto the bed, taking his place beside her. He slid his left arm under her pillow and she snuggled back against him. He began tracing her tattoo with his index finger, going over every line of detail of the inked dragon, that he still thought was a near perfect replica of Hyourinmaru.

With every minute of comfortable silence that passed, Karin's thoughts began to dwell on the future. Tomorrow, next week, next month, the months and years that followed that. An ache began to form in her heart. She tried to distract herself from these thoughts, but failed miserably.

"Toshiro..?" He gave a sound of acknowledgement, "How's this gonna work?" His forefinger ceased its movement, "I mean.. when will I get to see you?"

"I don't know." He replied softly, his smile wavering, "Could be months from now.." She bit her lip. He wrapped his arm around her, "But I'll come see you as soon, and as often as I can." He kissed the back of her neck, "I promise."

She didn't doubt him. She knew he would come back, but the thought of how long it would be until he _could_ only added to the ache in her chest. She closed her eyes, "I wish you could stay.."

It had been more of a whisper to herself, almost inaudible, but Toshiro heard it, and felt his heart sink. Tightening his hold on her, he nuzzled into her hair and sighed sadly, "Me too."

…

Karin would have awoken to complete bliss. She would have been overjoyed to still be in his arms, his secure and loving embrace. A giddy smile would have made its way onto her lips, and she would have lain there, basking in the enchanting serenity that was Toshiro Hitsugaya. But no, instead, she awoke with agitation, to the annoying sound of a phone. _His_ phone, she deduced immediately, given the strange ringtone.

She groaned and rubbed her eyes, "Toshiro.. your phone is ringing."

"I know." He replied coolly. "I imagine its just Matsumoto, calling to tell me we have to head back to Soul Society."

Her heart sank. But, as he remained unmoving, on her bed, holding her, her brow furrowed. She turned around in his arms and met his eyes, "Aren't you gonna go?"

He stared at her for a long, silent moment. He hadn't slept, he had just lain there, all night long, revelling in the wonderful presence that was Karin Kurosaki. The way it felt to hold her, the way_ he_ felt to be with her, finally, after those three _excruciatingly_ long years. He had just gotten her back, he wasn't even sure if he deserved her, and the thought of leaving her again for an indefinite amount of time was unbearable. The thought of going back to Soul Society, back to his office, to mountains of paperwork, and being _alone_, was completely unappealing to him.

His heart, mind, and soul had long since come to an agreement; a final resolve. Now, as he gazed into those beautiful dark eyes of hers, he could just smile, and without hesitation, say one word, "No."

.

_I want it. It is you. You are where I want to be._

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..End..

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**COMING SOON: **'Domestic Life' - Following the story line of 'Closer', 'Sequel: The Twist' - A series of connected one-shots/drabbles chronicling Toshiro's adjustment to life in the human world with Karin.


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